Tag Archives: connection
The “Mental Illness” Frame Is the Problem. Interpersonal Neurobiology Changes Everything
The mental illness industry frames mental health in terms of individual pathology, diagnosis, and personal responsibility. It focuses on what’s wrong with a person: what disorder they might have, what cognitive distortions they carry, what behaviors need changing. It tends … Continue reading
Institutional Betrayal: Protection for Predators, Harm for the Rest of Us
I learned about institutional betrayal after I reported a predatory gynecologist to the state licensing board. Instead of holding the abuser accountable, the board and the attorney general’s office stood by him. This so negatively affected my nervous system that … Continue reading
Posted in Predators
Tagged betrayal, connection, institutional betrayal, IPNB, power dynamics, predators, safety, Trauma
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The Overlap Between Narcissists and Predators
There is significant overlap between human predators and narcissistic behaviors, but they aren’t identical. Narcissistic behaviors often arise from deep relational injury and an underdeveloped sense of self that was shaped in environments where worth had to be earned through … Continue reading
What Shapes a Human Predator?
The development of a human predator often begins in early relationships and environments that fail to meet fundamental needs for safety, attunement, empathy, and mutual respect. When a child is repeatedly treated as an object, used to meet another person’s … Continue reading
Posted in Predators
Tagged abuse, aggression, connection, development, fear, harm, pain, predators, safety, systems, unsafety
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Understanding the Predator-Prey Dynamic Through IPNB
The dynamic between the predator and the victim involves complex layers of relational manipulation, nervous system responses, and emotional regulation (or dysregulation), which deeply affect both the predator’s and the victim’s neurobiological processes. Through the lens of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), … Continue reading
Predator Week Begins Soon!
Predator Week begins soon! The Trauma Aware America website and Facebook page will feature numerous posts, images, quotes, and resources for understanding predators, how they get away with it, and how we can protect ourselves. Blog posts include: Who Do … Continue reading
Posted in Predators
Tagged abusers, connection, institutional betrayal, IPNB, predators, safety, systems, targets
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The Shame-Busting Power of IPNB
Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) is inherently shame-busting because it shifts our understanding of human behavior, emotion, and relationship from a lens of personal blame to one of compassionate, embodied context. Here’s how: Normalizes Survival Responses IPNB teaches that many behaviors people … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged connection, Interpersonal Neurobilology, IPNB, safety, survival, survival adaptations
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From Tyranny to Corporate Rule: Reclaiming “We, the People”
On this Fourth of July, we’re not only celebrating independence. We’re mourning how much of it we’ve lost. The founders of this country declared their refusal to live under tyranny. They rejected inherited power, royal decrees, and governments that served … Continue reading
Posted in Politics
Tagged 4th of July, America, Community, connection, Empathy, Independence Day, kings, safety, tyranny
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Connection in Healthcare is Essential, But Medicine Sabotages It
Connection is vital in medicine, and is often ruptured by institutional demand for rushing and the culture of separation. That’s two strikes against doctors who want to connect, understand the importance, and need to feel connected themselves, and all doctors … Continue reading
Posted in Healthcare
Tagged co-regulation, connection, disconnection, doctor-patient relationship, doctors, healthcare, IPNB, Medicine, rushing, safety
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A Cry for Help is a Call for Connection
The classic meaning of a cry for help is often seen as a dramatic or urgent signal that someone is in distress and needs immediate attention. It’s sometimes misunderstood as attention-seeking or manipulative, especially when it doesn’t follow expected patterns. … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged attention, connection, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB
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